At a celebratory dinner, the final 12 competitors are selected, all winners of a new hover car (the losers leave with cutlery sets). Despite the expensive prize, Asha insists that Mika pull out of the contest, but he is resolute.

After another session in the healing chamber (a perfunctory exercise meant to delay their departure), Mika, Asha, and David leave for home. The fold-down apartment seems especially depressing after their Caribbean vacation. Mika pleads with his mother to let him compete—“Just imagine how different it would be if we lived in the Golden Turrets” (291)—but the image of Mika’s blood is still fresh in her memory. As a last resort, Mika sobs with grief, telling them the competition has helped him deal with Ellie’s death. They finally relent as long as he promises not to take part in anything dangerous.

Gorman watches the recording of Mika’s memory scan. It’s all darkness and shadows—repressed memories—until he sees the memory of the Telly Head, “a memory so vivid, Mika hadn’t been able to suppress it” (295). The image terrifies Gorman because he is the Telly Head. Mika has had a dream memory of someone he’s never met. Gorman is in a no-win situation: He can’t kill Mika because his abilities may be too valuable, but the Telly Head memory profoundly unsettles him.